Outrage over Thai tourists 'vandalising' Great Wall of China

[SCARLETIBIS1]

One of the first things you learn as a Westerner coming to Thailand is that "logic" or common sense as we like to call it does not exist in either a Thai dictionary nor a Thai mind. I've always felt that logic is inherent in eveyone like inherently knowing what is right or wrong, good or bad.

Thais surely are not the only ones who deface national monuments in foreign lands but as one observer noted you do not see Thai Wats desecrated with Thai writing so while logic is non existant in Thais, stupidity abounds here.

Having said that, the Chinese are exponentially worse in lack of common sense when comes to talking in a loud voice. Thais usually yell when they are drunk. The Chinese yell as a normal way of having a conversation. It is impossible to be in the same restaurant with more than two Chinese people without going deaf. LOL

John Burdett who wrote the famous or infamous books about Thai corruption in the police force as a way of life in his books (Bangkok 8) makes the same observations about logic in Thailand-it doesn't exist.

"One of the first things you learn as a Westerner coming to Thailand is that "logic" or common sense as we like to call it does not exist ..."

Wow. What a lot of xenophobic, racist, neocolonialist irrelevant nonsense.

And at the same time true

Well, it isn't xenophobia when some idiot parks their motorbike on top of yours so you can't get out of your parking spot. We call that reality where I come from. This of course is after they have scratched your custom painted tank or ripped your seat or dented your fenders or broken your mirrors. If being pissed about that is being a racist then I am a racist. Intelligent people with a modicum amount of common sense do not park their motorbikes that way. I can only assume it is a cultural phenomenom and it forms my basis for thinking I am wrong to assume "logic" and "common sense" are inherent. Obviously, they are not inherent in Thailand nor perhaps in China.

These are the same people walking around with swastika's on their t-shirts and think nothing of it or murals on college walls depicting Hitler as a great man. So, it's not just the morons who have no common sense here it is the highly educated (not) as well it appears.

I'll pass it on to Burdett. I'm sure he will get a chuckle out of it.

Edited July 7, 2014 by SCARLETIBIS1

[BradinAsia]

Thais have never respected other people's cultures. Why is this news?

Do you make sweeping generalizations much?

[csroland]

Knowing polite Thais and impolite Westerners, I think that these graffitis come from Westerners who learnt Thai.

[JohnThailandJohn]

One of the first things you learn as a Westerner coming to Thailand is that "logic" or common sense as we like to call it does not exist in either a Thai dictionary nor a Thai mind. I've always felt that logic is inherent in eveyone like inherently knowing what is right or wrong, good or bad.

Thais surely are not the only ones who deface national monuments in foreign lands but as one observer noted you do not see Thai Wats desecrated with Thai writing so while logic is non existant in Thais, stupidity abounds here.

Having said that, the Chinese are exponentially worse in lack of common sense when comes to talking in a loud voice. Thais usually yell when they are drunk. The Chinese yell as a normal way of having a conversation. It is impossible to be in the same restaurant with more than two Chinese people without going deaf. LOL

John Burdett who wrote the famous or infamous books about Thai corruption in the police force as a way of life in his books (Bangkok 8) makes the same observations about logic in Thailand-it doesn't exist.

"One of the first things you learn as a Westerner coming to Thailand is that "logic" or common sense as we like to call it does not exist ..."

Wow. What a lot of xenophobic, racist, neocolonialist irrelevant nonsense.

And at the same time true

Well, it isn't irrelevant when some idiot parks their motorbike on top of yours so you can't get out of your parking spot. This of course is after they have scratched your custom painted tank or ripped your seat or dented your fenders or broken your mirrors. If that is rascism so be it. Intelligent people with a modicum amount of common sense do not park their motorbikes that way. I can only assume it is a cultural phenomenom and it forms my basis for thinking I am wrong to assume "logic" and "common sense" are inherent. Obviously, they are not inherent in Thailand nor perhaps in China.

I'll pass it on to Burdett. I'm sure he will get a chuckle out of it.

Clearly you are a racist ... not only is the OP about THAI People complaining about what a few Thais did but you are trying to paint all people with one brush because of an inconsiderate and bad parker. If you have noticed there are a plethora of people parking and parking lots through out Thailand with the vast majority people people not only not doing what you describe but never having this type of encounter. Yes, they park their bikes close when there is not room and it is accepted that somebody can move their bike but the overwhelming vast majority don't damage other people's bikes are are smart enough, unlike some stupid farangs (or should we say all) who whine and cry because they are too lazy, fat or ignorant to simply take a minute to adjust the other bike to get out.

But anyway - you are welcome to be a racist (seems fairly common among many posters) but you should stay on topic and try to twist how many Thais complaining about a select few adding to graffiti on The Great Wall makes them a bad or inferioir race.

[Guest jonzboy]

if anyone has ever been there, the Chinese have been vandalising this wonderful piece of history for years, no more so than the building of a theme park style joy ride to take you up and down the hill at one of the more accessible locations, let alone all the graffiti in Chinese, the rubbish heaved off the top of the wall, the pervading stench of urine, etc, etc

[thhMan]

It is disrespectful and I am sure that Thais wouldn't like tourists damaging things that they hold sacred.

They dont have too.. The Thais let them get into disrepair and filth without the need of outsiders

[JulietLima]

Maybe this is a revenge to the "shitting in the canal in Chiangmai" by the Chinese ?

[Sena Dave]

I'd rather look at that graffiti than the pointing thats going on there . The Great Wall is reconstructed tacky PRC rubbish same as the very sacred and very rebuilt (Poorly) Shaolin temple. Bit of false outrage from the kitchens here i think

[kamahele]

Well one cannot blame 65 million people for the sins of a few. Not all Thai are without concern for other cultures. The Americans certainly left their mark in Europe as did the Europeans in the 19th century in places such as Egypt. Nothing like getting to view the inside of the Great Pyramids and seeing 19th century scrawling left their by English and French tourists of the day.

[oldsailor35]

Wasn't it only a few weeks ago we were hearing Thais complain about boorish Chinese tourists and their farmyard habits?

Well, now you can hear it again................

Recently, eating in the level 1 cafeteria at Suv. A group of Chinese tourists sat near me , two of the men were actually spitting their bits of unwanted chicken and bones on the floor. On another level i saw a Chinese man turn his head and spit on the concourse floor. ..........Ah ! the Chinese culture.

Edited July 7, 2014 by oldsailor35

[Sena Dave]

 

Wasn't it only a few weeks ago we were hearing Thais complain about boorish Chinese tourists and their farmyard habits?

We, now you can hear it again................

Recently, eating in the level 1 cafeteria at Suv. A group of Chinese tourists sat near me , two of the men were actually spitting their bits of unwanted chicken and bones on the floor. On another level i saw a Chinese man turn his head and spit on the concourse floor. ..........Ah ! the Chinese culture.

 

I was unfortunate to live and work in China for 2 years and spitting ,coughing and gobbing on the floor are Par for the course in most Restaurants, kds shitting on the floor in the street, no Nappys for toddlers just trousers with the Arse cut out of them, absolute abortion of a place , unless you live in Beijing or Shanghai

[oldsailor35]

Stonehenge is the same,but that is mostly down to the stupid drunken puking drug taking louts that make up modern Britain today.

Thats why they put the fence around it. Back in the 60's we could walk right up to the stones, i used to plonk my kids on one of them and pretend to go home, for a joke. Never saw any Grafitti at Stonehenge back then.

[soalbundy]

It's a wonder in it's self that anyone could possibly write on any wall in China,it must be covered in a film of phlegm. China the land of green gilberts. If the truth be known the wall is probably built out of snot picked up from the restaurant floors.

[Lancelot]

Graffiti by Thai tourists on the Great Wall in China . . . Chinese tourists taking a dump in the moat at Chiang Mai . . . sounds like they deserve each other . . .

+100 Couldn't have said it better.

Recent Opinion articles in Thai newspapers warning the West that Thailand will seek closer ties with China... Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it, 555

[soalbundy]

Stonehenge is the same,but that is mostly down to the stupid drunken puking drug taking louts that make up modern Britain today.

Thats why they put the fence around it. Back in the 60's we could walk right up to the stones, i used to plonk my kids on one of them and pretend to go home, for a joke. Never saw any Grafitti at Stonehenge back then.

You were probably there in that short period we had between civilization and barbarism.

[JoeThePoster]

At least nobody took a dump off the wall.

[RealisticRon]

Whilst interviewing one of the graffiti culprits who refused to accept responsibility remarkably claimed "its the walls fault, if it wasn't there it wouldn't of happened".

[Equalizer]

Looking at the dates isn't it kind of late for the faux outrage?

We see graffiti on the walls of some buildings made by roman soldiers and look at it with great interest and historic importance. A hard nylon brush and a bucket of soapy water will remove the 'scar' in a matter of minutes.

Well its been there for 2 years now and it isn't fading. !!!!!!!!

Edited July 7, 2014 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[soalbundy]

At least nobody took a dump off the wall.

I doubt that.

[Equalizer]

Thank heavens for the Thai name culture eh. Jinny! could mean Jinusopamoapaporn Not like Paul Smith now is it.

[soalbundy]

Looking at the dates isn't it kind of late for the faux outrage?

We see graffiti on the walls of some buildings made by roman soldiers and look at it with great interest and historic importance. A hard nylon brush and a bucket of soapy water will remove the 'scar' in a matter of minutes.

Well its been there for 2 years now and it isn't fading. !!!!!!!!

It's the snot holding it all together. I'm sure it could be marketed,Chinese phlegm the new bonder.

[USNret]

I visited Wat Rong Khun near Chiang Rai, there is a sign saying no foreigners allowed in the temple due to their disrespectful behavior (btw, I ignored the sign & went in anyway, but remained otherwise respectful). How would Thai like it when they get to China and there is a sign "No Thai allowed at the Great Wall." Kismet.

[USNret]

Whilst interviewing one of the graffiti culprits who refused to accept responsibility remarkably claimed "its the walls fault, if it wasn't there it wouldn't of happened".

Awesome!

[charmonman]

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How do you think these idiots would feel if the Chinese started scrawling graffiti all over the Thai people's most sacred monuments or even pictures of he who is held most sacred here???

I think they may understand their stupidity when the shoe is on the other foot.

In a way, I hope it happens.

I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet given the ignorant behaviour of many Chinese tourists in so many parts of the world.

[maximillian]

I saw graffity in every country I went. As an airliner I went to many.

Painted, sprayed, scribbled, carved by idiots from the same country or from stupid visitors.

Thais are complaining about Thais here. Not Chinese about Thais.

Some low-so Chinese tourist also leave their traces wherever they go. Same as low-sos from any other nations.

[maximillian]

Please stop blaming the Thais in general. It's been a few of probably thousand who visit the great wall.

Stupid idiots from your own country are doing the same. Everywhere they go.

[kleelof]

Thais have never respected other people's cultures. Why is this news?

I, with some difficulty, have to agree with this.

I find people are tolerant, but, really, don't care. Even in the most extreme circumstances.

When I first came here, a Farang friend of mine died. The funeral was here in Thailand. He was single and most of his Thai friends didn't know his Farang friends. The rest of us had been here less than a year and none had been to a Thai funeral, so we had no idea of the smaller details of a Thai funeral. For example, we didn't know the eulogy is delivered before the day the body is cremated. So, the day of the cremation, we all thought the eulogy would be then. But, we quickly realized it wasn't going to happen.

Once we realized there was not going to be an eulogy, we approached his Thai friend who seemed to be organizing everything. We explained we thought there would be an opportunity to say something. He understood and went to talk to someone older. He came back and said we could not do it. They had to move forward with the cremation.

Now, It's been 10 years since, and I have been to more funerals than I can count. So, of course, now I understand why they said no. However, I also know that a 5 - 10 minute delay would have been OK to show consideration for the culture and customs of the deceased and his friends.

[Benmart]

How do you think these idiots would feel if the Chinese started scrawling graffiti all over the Thai people's most sacred monuments or even pictures of he who is held most sacred here???

I think they may understand their stupidity when the shoe is on the other foot.

In a way, I hope it happens.

The first paragraph makes complete sense. The rest, I prefer not to support.

[Benmart]

I said this elsewhere, the tourist part of the wall is not an ancient relic.

It was rebuilt in the 50's and 60's. It's a modern day tourist trap.

Savy tourists visit lesser visited sections of the original wall. Much more enjoyable and less commercial.

I prefer to avoid "traps" whenever I travel outside or inside Thailand.

[Benmart]

Thais have never respected other people's cultures. Why is this news?

I, with some difficulty, have to agree with this.

I find people are tolerant, but, really, don't care. Even in the most extreme circumstances.

When I first came here, a Farang friend of mine died. The funeral was here in Thailand. He was single and most of his Thai friends didn't know his Farang friends. The rest of us had been here less than a year and none had been to a Thai funeral, so we had no idea of the smaller details of a Thai funeral. For example, we didn't know the eulogy is delivered before the day the body is cremated. So, the day of the cremation, we all thought the eulogy would be then. But, we quickly realized it wasn't going to happen.

Once we realized there was not going to be an eulogy, we approached his Thai friend who seemed to be organizing everything. We explained we thought there would be an opportunity to say something. He understood and went to talk to someone older. He came back and said we could not do it. They had to move forward with the cremation.

Now, It's been 10 years since, and I have been to more funerals than I can count. So, of course, now I understand why they said no. However, I also know that a 5 - 10 minute delay would have been OK to show consideration for the culture and customs of the deceased and his friends.

I read and understand the thoughts and agree. It is nice that friends gather to say farewell and remember those that depart this life, regardless of where in the world it may be.

Sometimes the adjustment to the local traditions is difficult to understand. The thought and prescense makes a difference and may just be enough consolation and comfort to those let behind.

Peace.